The tongue is a highly mobile muscular organ located in the oral cavity, with crucial functions in chewing, swallowing, speech, and taste perception. Its anatomical structure comprises several muscles that provide the tongue with its flexibility and ability to perform complex movements. These muscles are divided into two groups: intrinsic muscles, which are responsible for changing the shape of the tongue (rolling, thinning, shortening), and extrinsic muscles, which move the tongue in and out of the mouth and from side to side.

The surface of the tongue is covered with papillae, which are small elevations containing taste buds responsible for perceiving the five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. There are four main types of papillae: filiform (which provide texture), fungiform, foliate, and circumvallate, the latter being the largest and located at the back of the tongue. In addition to its role in taste, the tongue is also involved in articulating words during speech and moving food during chewing and swallowing.